From the minute you wake up until the minute you drift off to sleep, your eyes are working for you. Poor vision makes it hard to read, drive, cook, and work at a computer. The good news is that many eye problems and diseases can be treated if caught early.

One common complaint is dry eye syndrome. For the 20 million Ameri­cans who suffer from chronic dry eye, the blurred vision, irritation and redness of the condition are daily burdens . For years patients have dealt with the problem by resorting to eye drops, compresses, eyelid scrubs, and special eyeglasses. Today the problem can be addressed through revolu­tionary Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy, offered at Chu Vision Institute one of the first 15 sites in the country to take advan­tage of the technology.

"One of the key discoveries in the last several years is that we've learned dry eye is caused by inflammatory pathways," says Dr. Y. Ralph Chu, founder and medical director of Chu Vision Institute. "Chronic, low-grade inflammation on the eye leads to damage to the surface as well as [damage] to the tissue that secretes the material that's needed to keep the eye healthy."

IPL therapy started as a dermatology treatment for patients with rosacea. It works on dry eye by creating a significant amount of superficial heat, targeting the abnormal blood vessels and increasing the flow of im­pacted meibomian secretions. It's comfort­ able and quick, and has the pleasant side effect of younger, healthier-looking skin .